Scottsdale school program creates an autism-inclusive recess

The intro to a story from The Arizona Republic Sept. 27:

It was Katy Donmoyer's habit to spend recess alone, circling the perimeter of her Scottsdale elementary playground.

Her sister, Leah, hovered silently near groups of playing children, who ignored her.
Earlier this week, however, the 9-year-old twins were taking turns jumping rope, even doubles, with classmates in the middle of Copper Ridge Elementary School's crowded and chaotic playground.

To behavioral scientists, the change is more evidence that their new strategy to help autistic kids fit into recess is working.

To the twins' mother, it is hope her daughters will have a social life despite a disorder marked by an inability to understand the give and take of conversation, play and making friends.

In January, Copper Ridge's playground became an incubator for a new kind of recess in which kids teach their autistic classmates about the joys of the playground. And autistic kids teach them a little compassion.

In the past nine years, as the number of Arizona schoolkids grew by 25 percent, the number diagnosed with autism grew fivefold. More than 5,000 autistic kids are in Arizona's K-12 schools. More schools across the country are training teachers and adding teaching assistants so more of these children can learn in a regular classroom.

But Copper Ridge is among the first to find ways for these children to successfully fit into the often-intimidating social mix of recess.

The program being refined on its playground will help create a blueprint for schools across the nation.

It has already attracted the attention of Scottsdale parents, who are increasingly seeking to enroll their autistic children in the school.

Parents are eager to make sure their autistic children do not end up like many: isolated by their peers, bullied and, as they get older, depressed.

"You see your child progressing academically," said Karen Donmoyer, the twins' mother. "But, more importantly, you realize: I want my child to be happy. I want my child to have friends. That was the piece that wasn't getting attention."